5x22 Drabble
by 411charlee
Summary: Felicity arranges a surprise party for Oliver's birthday - this is my take what should happen in episode 5x22


After catching Chase Oliver seemed a bit more relaxed, in his own Oliver kind of way, but she figured that after all the terrible things they all had suffered this past year, having something cheerful and positive to celebrate was just what they needed as a team. Oliver's birthday seemed to be the perfect excuse and if she was really honest with herself she also wanted to do something special for him.

Turns out that arranging a surprise party for someone whose second name could have been Sherlock proved to be trickier than she initially figured. Since she and Oliver were in a much better place with their relationship, him looking over her shoulder happened more frequently, which made planning everything with him in the room almost impossible. Luckily with the help of some very bad people, being on the loose thanks to Chase, and Curtis next to her to help out whenever they were in the field, the party was arranged in no time and all she could hope for was that until they yell "surprise" he wouldn't figure out what was going on.

The plan was in motion. Thea was in charge of setting up the decorations, Curtis was on 'cake-pick-up' duty and everyone else was helping to get all the final touches in place. All that was needed was the birthday boy and she hoped that her cryptic text wasn't going to blow up in her face.

The tracker on his phone notified her he was heading their way. They put off the lights and kept quiet, listening to his footsteps as he headed for the front door. He opened the door stepping inside and just when they were ready with their "surprise" he spotted Curtis in the corner of his eye and put him down on the floor ready to punch the hell out of him.

He looked up at everyone standing around him and that's when he saw the banner ' ** _Happy Birthday Oliver_** **'**. He let Curtis go and she could swear she saw a bit of a blush on his cheeks when Quentin not so subtly made known that he told them a surprise party was a bad idea.

Everyone laughed it off and in a moment everything was forgotten and all anyone could concentrate on was the food and champagne.

Laughter and smiles was something they didn't often get to see with this specific group of people. The change in pace was welcome as she looked around the room inspecting the people that have become her family, some old and some new, but they were her real family none the less.

She missed the face she really wanted to see in the room, but then she spotted him. He was standing out on the balcony. She always thought of the balcony as ' _their spot_ '. Even when they were not together she went out there alone or to meet Oliver when he conveniently ' _forgot_ ' the loft had a front door.

Familiar butterflies formed in her stomach the closer she got to the balcony. He was leaning over the railing, looking over the twinkling lights of the city. The memories of a simpler time flooded her mind, but things were different now. So much had happened between them.

"I've been looking for you." she said stepping outside, but he kept his eyes fixed on the view in front of him. The corner of his mouth twitched up, giving a small smile at the sound of her voice.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I just…I needed some air." he answered, his voice low.

She stopped next to him, placing her hands on the railing. She looked out in front of him admiring the view, but trying to get her breathing under control. Ever since they got trapped in the bunker something shifted between them. Things between them were lighter, easy again like it was before and even though it was hard to fight their attraction since their little 'slip up', it was even harder to fight the sexual tension now.

"Was it too much too soon? I'm sorry I didn't even think that it might have been too overwhelm…"

"No…it's perfect." he cut her off, looking at her for the first time since they were alone. The heat of his hand linked with hers immediately filled her whole body and she had to fight the urge to kiss him right then. "Thank you for this. I…this was so thoughtful and I lo…I really appreciate it." he added as he looked at her, swallowing thickly for what she can only assume was almost a slip of the tongue. He didn't keep her gaze for long when he turned and looked back over the city, but his hand remained linked to hers.

"So what's up then? Is there something wrong?" she asked cautiously. She didn't want to risk pushing him into telling her something that might push them back to a place where they were distant again.

"For almost a decade I either didn't know when my birthday was or it just didn't feel like celebrating, with the exception of course when we were on the road trip and you went out of your way with the sparkles and ice cream…." he chuckled shaking his head.

"Yeah, that was an interesting experience." she laughed too, blush forming on her cheeks as she thought back to their time away.

"But even then…let's just say that to me celebrating my birthday was celebrating my life and looking back at my life there was just nothing worth celebrating…I wasn't worth celebrating."

"Oliver…" she started, placing her hand on his arm, looking at him, getting herself ready for another pep talk, but he didn't give her a chance.

"For ten years Felicity I have looked at myself in the mirror. I have looked at the man I am and every time I look at myself every scar, everything that I've done is reflected back at me in that mirror and that was a reflection of someone who didn't deserve a birthday cake or candles or a song, it was the reflection of a damaged, broken man."

He looked sad, but there was something different in the way he looked at her right now.

"I was so convinced after all these years that I wasn't worthy and you were right, I kept on hanging on to the past, I kept on reverting back to who I was because I thought that I had to live up to my father's legacy, I had to right his wrongs, but after everything that happened with my father recently, I realised you were right again…"

"Shocker." she teased lightly bumping him with her shoulder and the sadness in his eyes changed into something lighter.

"I know I made mistakes, but I know that I can't continue to hold on to a legacy that's not mine. I have to be my own man and create a life where I can leave a legacy for William….and hopefully more children to come."

"I promised you that I would never lie to you again and I know that right now might not be the right time to say anything, but I can't keep this from you any longer. I've made mistakes Felicity and I can't promise you that I will never make mistakes again, but I'm trying every day to make a choice to be me, to discover who **_I_** am….and who I want to be. Felicity I love you and that's never changed. I tried moving on, I tried seeing where other paths would lead me but every path I've taken has led me right back to you."

She sucked in a breath hearing the words. Her heart swelled with so much love and emotion she had for this man standing in front of her.

"I told you before that the way you make me feel is the best part of my life, Felicity and I meant it then and I mean it now. I don't know where you are right now where we are concerned and I need you to know that me saying this is in no way pressuring you to act on it, but if I'm going to be honest with myself and honest with you I can't keep running circles around my feelings for you…."

She leaned up and pressed her lips against his, swallowing whatever words were supposed to come next. It was gentle at first, but after almost a year of ignoring what was between them, he responded immediately and he deepened the kiss. His tongue begging for entrance and she opened up for him in an instant. She draped her arms around his neck and in kind he pulled her closer to him wrapping his arms around her waist. Their closeness and tasting each other after so long just fuelled the fire that's been simmering inside of them, but she knew they were not alone and even though she would love nothing more than to get lost in each other right now, they had to stop.

She slowed the kiss, and he understood exactly where she was going. He pecked her lips a few times and ended with their lips lingering, breathing the same air as they tried to find their footing back to reality.

"I love you too." she whispered, looking up into his eyes opening slowly after hearing the words.

Curtis was right. Even after everything they've gone through one thing hasn't changed and that was the way that he looked at her. His eyes were flooded with so much love and even though she knew there were going to be challenges in their future, she wanted him to look at her like that for the rest of her life.

"What do you say you get these people out of here then, so I can ravage you." he said with a smirk on his face.

She immediately left their cocoon and stepped inside the loft.

"Okay everyone!" she announced, "thank you for coming, but this party is over."


End file.
